


Revelations

by TooManyBooksToRead



Series: Fake Maes AU [7]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Again nothing really happens but, Allusions to dubcon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Ling is there for a sentence, Ling will Remember that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22656076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooManyBooksToRead/pseuds/TooManyBooksToRead
Summary: Ed learns a lot of new things while they're stuck in Gluttony's stomach.
Series: Fake Maes AU [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625317
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	Revelations

Ed is angry, scratch that he’s fucking furious.

He doesn’t want to think about what Envy said, doesn’t want to let the words sink in, so he keeps talking. Maybe Mustang really was right and running his mouth off will get him killed, but if there’s nowhere else to go, he might as well channel his anger into something mildly productive.

He doesn’t really expect Envy to answer his question, maybe the Homunculi has resigned itself to dying in here.

“Ishval?” Envy’s laugh echoes in the infinite space around them and if he hadn’t been angry before, he certainly was _now_. “I’ve never had a job more delightful than that one.”

“Do you know what the trigger was that started the uprising?” it continues, its voice now taunting as its grin starts growing deranged.

Ed really doesn’t like the places this conversation is going, not at all, but he’s already stepped forward. He may as well jump in headfirst. “As I recall,” he makes sure to add since, if Envy was involved, it’s crystal clear the government-approved variant of the story is bound to be some kind of wrong, “a military officer accidentally killed an Ishvalan child.”

"Yes. And I, Envy, am the very person who shot that child," it says with unabashed _glee_ and Ed can fucking see it. Can clearly picture the same deranged smile it wears right now talking about it on its face as it pulled the trigger on an innocent helpless child, as it watched the war spark around it, as it watched a helpless innocent man be tried for its crime.

“You humans really are easily manipulated creatures.”

Ed’s already halfway there and ready to punch him when it says something that throws him off his game.

“It’s a shame I’ll never get to finish my latest job though,” it says with what might’ve been an actual frown flickering across its face. “It was such a fun assignment. Could’ve given Ishval a run for its money if I’d gotten the chance to finish it.”

Ed hesitates. If its enjoyment of the Ishvalan Civil War is anything to go by, this latest job is bound to be its own brand of horrifying.

Envy notices his hesitation and responds immediately. The red energy he’s started to associate with the Homunculi flickers over Envy, blinding him for a moment.

“Hello, Edward!” he hears it say but the voice is all wrong, too low.

And, then, he looks up still ready to punch the bastard, except he doesn’t expect the face of Maes Hughes to be staring back at him.

The way he freezes in his spot draws another demented laugh out of it. “This is exactly why I’ve enjoyed this one so much; you humans are so pathetic.” Its face morphed into an exact copy of the warm smile Hughes had always greeted Al and him with, a flawless copy in all but name. “It was just so _easy_ to become him that none of the other idiots he calls friends have even noticed –”

“What the hell happened to the real Hughes?” Ed interrupted it before it could keep going.

“That insufferable idiot?” it asked leaning its head on his hands like this was all just some fucking joke. “He’s just a bit scuffed up – had to get my acting tips from somewhere. Although, now that I’m not there he’s practically useless. They may just kill him.”

Ed’s breath hitched, the faint hope that had come from knowing that Hughes was alive snuffed out just as quickly as it had come.

Its eyes gleamed in the torchlight that cast its face with eerie shadows, the scene was at odds with the angles of Hughes’ face. Ed frowned. Envy was looking at him, probably relishing in his reaction, however small it had been.

“You humans are so _sensitive_ ,” it said, still wearing Hughes’ skin as it stood up. “He was just like this whenever I went to ask him questions – so tense and full of despair. He’d make the most wonderful faces when I talked about living with his wife and daughter too!”

Ed can picture it, Hughes withering away in some small dingy cell as Envy taunted him with glimpses of his family, and kept in line by the fear of what would happen to them. Another more disturbing thought brews in the back of his mind, one he can’t quite allow himself to entertain, because it would mean that Hughes could’ve been well and truly dead and no one would’ve been wiser.

Envy was stalking around him now, like a cat playing with its food, confident in the fact that it’s already won, biding it’s time and enjoying the fear of the prey as much as the meal it would become. The posture was all wrong. He couldn’t believe anyone had ever bought this – but he had, he had, he had, he had, he had.

“Oh, but the absolute best was Mustang, he’s just so _vulnerable_ when his _dear Maes_ is around.” It snickered behind a hand like it was in on a joke he wouldn’t get. “It’s a pity I won’t get to see his face when he realizes it hasn’t been _Maes_ at all.”

It returned to its perch on the rock at a leisurely pace, like Ed had given him everything he could at the moment. A part of him bristled at the perceived insult, the way it so clearly dismissed him as a threat, the way it continued to wear the face of a good man as it spoke of how it was ruining his life.

“If I had my way, that would’ve immediately been followed by his slow, painful _death_.” Its last few words were coated with a venom Ed hadn’t even gleaned from it during the rest of this conversation.

There’s something especially revolting in hearing such acidic hate come from Hughes’ mouth, about Mustang no less.

And dammit all if _that_ wasn’t a wakeup call. Mustang was supposed to be Hughes’ best friend. He was supposed to have noticed the _impostor_ in his place, living in his house, terrorizing his family. Mustang had been at Central for months now, yet, he hadn’t noticed the difference – he ignored the voice in the back of his head that told him he hadn’t either, that he’d gotten Hughes involved with the Philosopher’s Stone and the Homunculi in the first place.

“But I have to admit, nothing has been quite as good as the raw _despair_ on his face when he found out we knew about Mustang. He looked just like you humans ought to be _utterly pathetic,_ as if he thought I wouldn’t find out he’d tried to lie to me.” Its face took on a wistful expression like it was regretting all the things it hadn’t done to torment Hughes while in captivity. “Ah well, he’s decent enough ransom for the Flame Colonel with how much he cares about him, so he’ll definitely be entertained down there,” it finished with another bought of maniacal laughter and Ed couldn’t fucking take it anymore. He rushed forward what was left of the way and punched it in the face with his automail arm.

It didn’t even flinch.

“You wanna fight, you punks?” it asked, all previous amusement gone from its features.

Ed never thought he’d see the day Maes Hughes looked back at him with unrestrained killing intent, but as Ling called for him to step back and red lighting danced around Hughes, he thought to himself there was a first time for everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh Ed if only you really knew, for all that this was enlighting for you you also missed so much fucking stuff.
> 
> Edit: I will be lowkey disappointed inf none of ya catch the reference in the tags.


End file.
